Suicide Prevention After Community Care Discharge
Suicide Prevention In Department of Veterans Affairs Community Care Network Mental Health Settings
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Veteran who is eligible to receive VA services * Able to speak English * Received acute psychiatric treatment in a non-VA setting affiliated with VA in Northern New England * Endorse recent suicidal ideation (score 2+ on Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation) Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to provide informed consent * Currently receiving assertive community treatment * Potentially vulnerable populations including prisoners, institutionalized patients, or patients currently admitted on involuntary commitment status * Study physician deems the patient is not clinically appropriate because of clinical status such as presence of active psychosis or dementia
About the study
The study is of high importance to Veterans' health because it will study a suicide prevention intervention in a Veteran population that is at high risk of suicide but has not been a specific focus of the Veteran Affairs' (VA's) suicide prevention efforts. Specifically, a growing number of Veterans are now receiving acute mental health treatment in VA-purchased settings (commonly referred to as Community Care). While these Veterans are at high risk of suicide after discharge, very little is known about how to prevent suicide in these Veterans. This study will directly address this problem by looking at whether a promising suicide prevention strategy called the VA Brief Intervention and Contact Program (VA BIC) can decrease the risk of suicide in Veterans after they are discharged from a non-VA mental health treatment setting. The proposed research is highly pertinent to the VA's top clinical priority-to prevent suicide in Veterans.
What is being tested
- VA BIC (behavioral)
- Standard Care (other)
Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Participants: 120 · Started: Oct 1, 2025
Contact the study team
- Natalie Riblet, MD MPH · Phone: (802) 295-9363
- Bradley V Watts, MD MPH · Phone: (802) 295-9363
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06596044
Locations in the U.S.
| Vermont | White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, VT, White River Junction |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.